Like many people interested in natural health, you may have heard about essential oils, but are you aware at the truly diverse and profound healing applications they have? Often the term “aromatherapy” is sort of a hazy concept of smells and good health, but the uses of essential oils go far beyond that. Did you know the same oils used in aromatherapy have been successfully used to treat serious staph infections? Have been shown again and again to eradicate candida infections? That they prevent the transmission of the herpes virus from cell to cell? That they even have anticancer and anti-tumorial action in laboratory experiments, prompting further investigation? How about a little deeper look into these oils for a little inspiration into learning more how you might use them for your own ultimate health and healing.
The foremost medical aromatherapists of our time believe the greatest potential for mankind’s use of essential oils lay in their strongly anti-infectious nature. The same way they prevent diseases for plants, they also prevent diseases for humans. It’s not that plants and humans are so much the same, but the microbes that our immune systems defend us against are similar: viruses, fungi and bacteria. There are many, many papers published on this subject freely available on the web though portals which publish the abstracts of peer-reviewed scientific research. You’d be amazed the depth of the research noting essential oils’ efficacy in combating HSV-1 and 2, along with an extensive list of bacteria and fungi.
It’s a simple thing just to use essential oils as a preventative measure. In laboratory research, oils have been shown not only to directly eradicate infectious microbes, but actually increase the ability of our immune system to fend off these invaders. Just by evaporating oils into your space, by use of a specially designed aromatherapy diffuser, on can gain these benefits in two ways: essential oil vapors have been shown to eradicate microbes on contact, and the vapors themselves provide protection to the respiratory system when inhaled. Other means of using oils for immune system support include massaging them into the feet — which happen to be a particularly receptive part of the body for this practice — or into the sternum and/or lymph nodes.
Along these lines are the antiseptic applications in aromatherapy. “Antiseptic” simply means an “antimicrobial” used on the skin’s surface. The most simple application is the use of Tea Tree in place of products like Neosporin, alone or in a 50/50 blend with Lavender (this is choice for use with children). Tea Tree is a very broad spectrum antiseptic, and has a wide variety of uses. It’s excellent for acne, used in a 5% concentration based either in a carrier oil like Grapeseed or Hazelnut, or aloe vera gel. Tea Tree is excellent for athlete’s foot and other mild skin infections, as are Palmarosa, Geranium and many other essential oils. All these make great smelling, healthier choices than pharmaceutical preparations.
Beyond acne, essential oils and aromatherapy carrier oils give you a very diverse palate of highly therapeutic skin care ingredients. It’s possible to create very customized recipes for anti-aging, wrinkle and scar reduction, daily deep moisturizing and the like. Some essential oils have been researched to actually reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, as have certain carrier oils (data for Frankincense and Rosehip seed can easily be found on the internet). As the almost infinite combination of oils is too great to list here, it is suggested to investigate one of the very fine aromatherapy books that covers this subject in-depth.
Essential oils are included in massage oil blends and other “joint-care” formulations, as many have analgesic (pain relieving) properties. Wintergreen and Birch oils are essentially liquid aspirin (and should be used with care for this reason), helping to alleviate pain temporarily. Many other oils, like Ginger, Frankincense, German Chamomile and Plai, are known anti-inflammatory agents. Other oils such as Helichrysum are thought to be regenerative, and actually stimulate healing. These properties can be combined by blending these oils together for a very therapeutic topical formula. For example, some athletes have found great help with tendonitis using 2% each of Ginger and German Chamomile and 10-20% Helichrysum.
On the forefront of therapeutic essential oil use is the research showing promising anticancer action. In laboratory experiments, Frankincense specifically targets cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells alone. It seems to work regardless of the organ system or cancer cell line experimented with. Lemongrass essential oil has exhibited similar properties. Further, the isolated chemical called “linalool”, found in a great many oils — and most abundant in Lavender — may have very potent cancer activity, indicating that the anticancer action of essential oils may be derived from many oils, not just a few. The future of this research will prove very interesting.
This is just a quick look at what sort of healing actions the essential oils used in “aromatherapy” my hold for you and your family. They’ve been in use for a very long time as healing agents; until recently in France one used to go to a doctor and receive a prescription of an essential oil blend and treatment protocol! There are a great many wonderful texts to delve into the subject. Look for authors Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt and Anthony Battaglia if you’d like to see more on the scientific approach to using oils as medicine, Gabriel Mojay for a look at using them in relation to Chinese Medicine, and Valerie Worwood for day to day practical applications. You’ll be glad you invited these concentrated healing wonders into your life.
The author is a regular contributor to natural ezines on essential oils and aromatherapy . She may be contacted through www.anandaapothecary.com/essential-oils.html.